This second edition sees an important change. Jac Rinkes, who was responsible in the original version of this book (published in The Netherlands) for the Dutch and German law input, is no longer involved. The Cavendish edition saw a reorientation towards English law and for this second edition most of the updating has, obviously, focused on the common law. Jac’s influence and input remains, however, in a number of direct and indirect ways. I should therefore like to acknowledge that this book owes its existence to his encouragement and contribution. Despite the reorientation, the basic aim of the book remains the same. This aim is to present English law from, wherever feasible, the position of a jurist trained in the Roman and later civilian tradition. In addition, there are some other characteristics that this second Cavendish edition maintains. In particular, the emphasis on remedies, on legal reasoning and on some of the theoretical considerations underpinning comparative law. Updating is, of course, the most important priority of any new edition, but it needs to be emphasised again that this book is not designed as a detailed textbook on contract, tort and restitution. The European dimension, with its carefully structured approach to liability, is the starting point and this structure is used to try to give the common law student an overview of what is now being increasingly called the ‘law of obligations’. It is an impressionist work rather than a Canaletto.